Benicia: Police seek hit-run suspect after fatal crash on I-780

BENICIA -- One person was killed Monday morning in a hit-and-run crash involving four cars that shut down Interstate 780, the California Highway Patrol said.

"It was a chain reaction," Benicia Fire Department Interim Chief Mike Brown said. "One person got out of a vehicle after he got hit and he got struck by another car." The deceased man's identity was not immediately released.

The crashes occurred about 5:39 a.m. on eastbound I-780 between Military West and the Glen Cove Parkway exits in Vallejo.

The driver of the vehicle that hit the motorist ran away and was being sought, officials said.

The other two drivers were not injured, though their vehicles had major damage, Brown said.

Benicia police assisted California Highway Patrol officers in searching for the hit-and-run driver in the Benicia State Recreation Area and surrounding areas but have not found him, Benicia Police Sgt. Frank Hartig said.

The crash happened when the driver of the first car hit a guardrail and the driver following him crashed into that vehicle, Brown said.

The driver of the second vehicle got out to survey damage and was struck by the third car.

The crash resulted the closure of all lanes on I-780. One passing lane was later opened during the investigation, and all lanes were cleared at 8:15 a.m.